Oscillate Wildly
by The Perfect Drain
Summary: Fred and George decide Percy and his girlfriend need to "loosen up," and decide to help them out a little... but they don't anticipate the consequences of their actions. (slashyness!) PART *5* ADDED.
1. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore

*

Author's Note: This story will most likely contain various pairings, some more prominent than others.  If you get offended by boys with boys, boys with girls, girls with girls, or girls with boys, this is not the fic for you.  (Hint as to the future pairing – Absolutely rugged Quidditch player sees cute bossy know-it-all in a new light.  Giggle.  I love _them so.)_

Warning: I am prone to starting fics and never finishing them.  Guilt trips do work, but it still takes a while.  (And I actually did work on the second part of Tripping the Falling Guessings last night, but it didn't flow right.  I'll try it again when I have more time.)  Anyways, help me out here, folks… feedback!  And yell at me to continue (if you want me to).

Oh, and the characters are all whatserface's.  JK Rowling.  She cool.  I ain't.

*

Chapter 1: THAT JOKE ISN'T FUNNY ANYMORE

*

A single shout shattered the idyllic morning haze.    

"ARGH!  George!  Fred!"

The two perpetrators glanced at each other, snickered, and remained in their hiding place behind the couch in the Gryffindor common room.  They could hear muffled screams and the angry voice of Percy Weasley coming from the third year girls' dorms.  A moment later, a flustered Lavender Brown came tearing down the staircase.  She immediately caught sight of the two twins.

"Fred, George, you'd better find a better spot, 'cuz Percy's _really mad.  What were you thinking, putting hair remover in the shampoo bottles?  Honestly, you're lucky I haven't gotten a chance to shower yet this morning!" she panted.  "Or _I'd_ be trying to tear your head off as well!"  As soon as she had finished speaking, she took off back up the stairs, narrowly avoiding barreling into a furious Percy._

"Oh bugger," said Fred.

"Maybe we should've –" said George.

"Found a better hiding place?" Fred asked.

"Like somewhere –" George agreed.

"Far, FAR away." Fred concluded.  

Their brother strode across the hall forcefully, coming to a stop in front of the twins.  He remained there, glaring at them.  Percy seemed to be trying to calm himself before speaking.  Fred and George were appropriately cowed, and sat still, waiting for him to talk.

Five minutes later, Percy was still trying to calm down, and Fred and George considered getting up and going for a walk to stretch their legs, when Percy spoke –

"Fred Weasley.  George Weasley."  He took a deep breath.  "Am I correct in assuming you two were the ones to place the contents of suspicious tubes from Beckarina's Super Duper Hair Remover kit in the bottles normally used for the girls' shampoo?"

They nodded meekly.

"Then I have no choice.  Twenty points from Gryffindor, and I expect you both to help the girls regain their follicle capacity by tonight."

"What?"

"But Percy –"

"Twenty points?"

"We always knew you were a tightarse…"

"It was just a bit of fun!"

"Well, Fred, we can't expect him to know what that is."

"Oh.  Quite true, George.  Maybe we should draw him a diagram?"  

"Yeah, I suspect he'll need a diagram if he wants to keep Penelope happy!"

Suddenly both became aware the Percy had turned an alarming shade of purple.  They watched as he faded to a dull pink and then further, until he was shockingly white.  He worked his jaw a moment, then asked calmly,

"You really think I don't have fun?  Or-or anything ab-about… I-I mean… Penelope is none of your business."

Fred got an almost concerned look on his face.

"Perce… even leaving your girlfriend out of it, you have a remarkable amount of NO.  FUN."

"But you probably don't notice," George added.  "You're so busy studying.  Unless that's actual fun for you."

"It may be, love.  That would explain a lot!"

Percy got an odd look on his face, but his brothers didn't notice.

"Yes, it would indeed, dear twin.  But enough of this.  Shall we take our leave of our darling prefect?"

"We shall!  And oh yes!  Malfoy's hair is in dire need of a reversed Detangler charm, don't you agree?"

The two turned and exited, laughing, leaving Percy in the common room.  Percy slowly regained his normal color and sank into the cushions of the couch, sighing.

"I wonder… oh, maybe they're right.  Maybe I don't have enough fun.  But it's just… there's no time for it!  With studies and… oh, _heck_."  

He brooded for a while.  Finally, he stood up and wandered back to his own dorm.  This current prank of the twins had taken a lot out of him, and right now, he desired a nap more than anything else, even if it _was_ early in the day.  Percy quickly checked his bed for booby traps before lying down and dozing off almost immediately.

Meanwhile, Fred and George had given up on finding Malfoy or other obnoxious jerks (or small frightened first years) to torment, and were not yet ready to face the bald headed third year girls.  They were chasing each other down a corridor and found themselves face to face with Percy's Ravenclaw girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater.

Penelope glared at them haughtily.  "I heard all about that stunt you pulled on the third year Gryffindors.  I can't imagine how Percy puts up with you two.  Honestly!" she exclaimed, before sweeping off down the hall, "I can't imagine what the two of you find 'funny' about it!"

Fred and George exchanged a look.

"Hmm… I wonder, love…" mused George.

"Do you think mayhaps Penelope and Percy are in need of a little… loosening up?" Fred grinned.

"I think a visit to the library _would_ do us some good…"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

to be continued.  mehehehe.

- tpd


	2. A Rush and a Push and...

Author's Note: I'm trying to set this in Percy's seventh year, meaning Harry and Co. would be third-years.  And the twins would be...um… something.  Really, I'm horrible with continuity.  If anything strikes you as really messed up for my target time period, please, let me know.  More A/N-ey stuff at the end of this chapter.

*

Chapter 2: **A RUSH AND A PUSH AND…**

*

Percy stumbled over a small crack in the stone floor, dropping his schoolbooks with a loud crash. 

"Damn- er, darn!"  Percy hopped on one foot for a moment, wiggling the toes of his other to alleviate the pain.  His girlfriend Penelope Clearwater looked concerned.

"Percy?  Are you all right?  Did you break anything?"

"Umm, no, I don't think so.  But my books…"

"Oh!  I'm sorry Perce, but I just saw, I'm almost late for Potions.  You've still got a minute before History of Magic, right?  Well, see you later!" She dashed off down the hall, leaving Percy with his bruised foot and battered books. 

He grumbled.  "I'm going to be late, and I have to walk into class with wrinkled robes and my little toe bleeding copiously?  Honestly, if we didn't have a test coming up soon…"  Unbidden, memories of the previous day's conversation with the twins returned.  Pushing the thoughts aside, Percy cautiously tested his weight on his injured foot.

After scooping up his books, Percy stood stock still.  He nodded slowly, and smiled.  

"To heck with Binns.  He teaches straight from the textbook – I can catch up."  He turned and walked (or rather, limped quickly) toward the Hospital Wing.

Meanwhile, (or rather, a little later on but still around the same time), Fred and George finally found what they had been looking for.  They were sitting in the library, surrounded by musty books such as "Teasing Brothers for Fun and Profit" and the rare "How to Get Your Uptight Studious Brother (Let's Call Him 'Percival') to Let Loose and Party for a Change," the latter of which had just been picked up by George.

"Ah HA!" said George.  "Look at this, Fred.  This one sounds promising…" he pointed at a potion in the book.  Fred leaned over his shoulder to read.

"Hmm… yeah, it does.  We could slip it into their drinks at dinner tonight."

"Yeah, all of the ingredients seem pretty easy to come by… if you know the right house elves…" he smirked.

"We can have it all done up in time, then?" His twin nodded.  "Great!  Wow, look at all the books we've gone through.  Imagine if we put our minds to something like, say, homework… Perce'd have a fit!"

George stood up from the table and grinned at him.  "Never, Fred, _never that!"  _

The twins left the library in a swirl of black robes and dust, and set off to complete their plan.  

In the Great Hall that night, Percy showed up with a small smile on his face.  Seating himself at the Gryffindor table, he was suddenly swamped with questions.

"Percy?  Where've you been all day?" asked his brother Ron.

"Oh… I had to go to the Hospital Wing."

"Really?" inquired Oliver Wood, a fellow seventh-year.  "Are you okay?"

"Oh, um, yes, I'm fine.  I dropped some books on the way to History of Magic and managed to split my toe open."  Percy tried to keep from blushing when he realized how stupid that sounded.  And he was sure an injured toe wasn't deserving of a trip to the Hospital Wing, but at the time it had made an alright excuse to not attend the dreadfully boring class.

Ron's friend Harry Potter tuned into the conversation, and gave him an incredulous look.  "You skipped all your classes today?  …Because you hurt your _toe?  And here I thought even Voldemort couldn't keep you away from 'learning'!"  He added "Ow!" as the girl sitting across from him, Hermione, gave him a sharp kick._

"You-Know-Who shouldn't be joked about, Harry.  You of all people should know that," Percy admonished, trying to fight a grin.  He was feeling decidedly good about skipping his classes, and kept reminding himself that he was Head Boy and really _really shouldn't be happy just because he'd surprised all his classmates._

Oliver leaned over toward him, dropping his voice to a whisper.  "Perce, if you weren't in class, where were you?  Flitwick had us take a pop quiz today, and he was sort of… um, extremely shocked that you hadn't turned up."

Percy's good mood plummeted abruptly, and he felt vaguely sick.  "Professor Flitwick… had a pop quiz?  And I missed it?"  

"Missed what?"  George asked.  Percy groaned inwardly and wondered where the boy had appeared from.  

"Oh, I just blew off all my classes today, George.  I'll be expelled momentarily."  Percy glared at him.  "Where's your brother?  Do I even want to know?"

"Fred?  Oh, he's just over at the Ravenclaw table, slipping a questionable potion into your girlfriend's orange juice."  George said brightly.  "Nothing to worry about."  He sat down and started chatting with Lee Jordan about Quidditch.

Percy groaned again and buried his face in his hands.  Sighing, he looked up and saw Oliver looking at him oddly.  

"So… so where _were you?  Oh – of course.  Off with Penny again?"  Oliver gave him a leer and laughed, and whatever expression Percy had momentarily seen was gone._

Chuckling despite himself, Percy replied "No… I haven't seen Penny since I dropped my books this morning.  I just walked around the castle a bit, then read some."  He paused.  "It was …fun."  He didn't mention how he had felt almost free, for the first time in a long while.  It was quiet in the corridors when all the students were otherwise occupied.

"You mean Penelope left you alone, you with a grievous injury?" Oliver mock-gasped.  "The travesty!  You must break up with her at once, Percy!  Betrayal of the highest kind!"  The boy winked.

Percy forced a smile.  "Heh… she had to go to Potions.  Snape would've been overjoyed if she had been late, I'm sure." He swallowed and looked down at his untouched food.  

"Yeah..."  Oliver now seemed to be paying more attention to Lee's and George's conversation than to what Percy said.  He joined in, talking animatedly about why the Bludger is so misunderstood.  Percy shrugged and turned his focus to his meal, poking at it with his fork.  He felt a bit sick.

George, on the other hand, was paying a lot of attention to Percy.  He'd managed to slip the potion into Percy's goblet – now if he could just make sure Percy drank it.  George saw Percy lift his goblet to his mouth, and tensed, waiting for him to drink and swallow.  Suddenly, there was an alarming noise from across the hall.

"What the hell?" said Oliver.  He looked astonished.

George twisted around to see, and let out a strangled gasp.

Penelope Clearwater had just straddled a shocked Fred Weasley and was kissing him passionately. 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

to be continued.  

dearie me, i'd better not run out of inspiration now, eh? 

thanks to the first reviewers of this story, bluemeanies and alliecallienip!  i hope both of you continue reading.  cookies?  pizza?  we've got some diet coke in the fridge…

oh, about the chapter titles – they're all titles of songs by **the smiths.  i've decided the smiths are so *totally* percy it's insane. (confused sexuality, bemused depression, trying to live up to expectations… ring any bells?  …okay, just mine then.)   the songs even fit their respective chapters, sometimes in a weird way, but… i dunno.  makes me happy.  go check out some of them.  the full name of the song i got this one from is ****"a rush and a push and the land is ours."  shall stop babbling for a little while now.**

 please review!

- tpd


	3. I Know It's Over

Author's Note:  Sorry it took me a while to get this out.  I'd written a really angsty chapter, then decided to scrap it and purge all the angst by writing "Keeping the Score" (my Oliver fic).  And did it work?  Not really.  I wrote a new chapter anyway… I'm taking it in a slightly different direction than I was expecting.

Disclaimers:  This chapter isn't as …_fun as the others.  Not in a fluffy/funny way, anyway.  IT ALSO CONTAINS SOME IMPLICATED STUFF, FOLKS!  REALLY GROSS STUFF! … in this case, vomit.  Vomit is gross.  Cuz eww.  Oh, and there's some m/m undertones kicking in, too, but no one needs a warning for that, do they?  :P  Oh, and there's some horrible broomstick innuendo.  I apologize._

*

Part 3: I KNOW IT'S OVER

*

Fred blinked.  Realizing that Penelope was kissing him (and quite well, at that), he didn't protest, leaning further into the kiss.  Then another thought trickled across his brain like a nasty leak in the roof.

Penelope.  Girlfriend.  Percy.  What?  ...Penelope is Percy's girlfriend.  OH.  This is bad.  This is very bad.

He pulled back abruptly, causing her to fall slightly off balance and glare at him_.  The potion.  Oh...crap._

"Fred?  What is it?" asked Penelope.  She didn't seem to notice that every pair of eyes in the Great Hall were at this moment focused on them.

"Uh," said Fred.

He heard his twin George bellow at him from the Gryffindor table.  "FRED… come with me, now!"  Fred stumbled over himself in his effort to get away from Penelope.  She looked hurt by his obvious snub.

"Um, sorry," said Fred.  "Gotta...go.  Yeah.  See you."  And he took off out of the Hall, his twin right behind him.

The Great Hall was dead silent.  Everyone seemed to be in shock.  Penelope Clearwater, the faithful rule follower, kissing her boyfriend's younger brother?  For that matter, where in the world had Percy Weasley been all day?

Oliver Wood was wondering the same things, and was also wondering if it would be okay to hit a woman just once...

Priorities first, he decided, and turned to Percy to see how he was doing.  Percy was pale and looked quite sick.

"Percy?  You okay?" asked Oliver.

Percy didn't respond.  

"...Hey, anyone got a pin I could drop?" said Lee Jordan.

Percy seemed to snap out of his trance, and glanced at Oliver.  "I'm fine... er, actually, I think I may be ill.  Excuse me."  He hurried quickly out of the Great Hall, leaving Oliver worried.

"I hope he'll be alright..." Oliver said, staring at the spot Percy had just vacated.  He realized that Percy's goblet had been tipped over, and set it back upright.

"Pffsh.  He'll be fine, it's not like he cared much about Penelope anyway," said Ron.  "He'd be more upset if Fred had kissed the Ministry..."  Oliver couldn't summon the energy to glare at the young Weasley.

Everyone resumed their previous conversations, and the hall was filled with the buzzing of voices once again.  Penelope was chatting with her friends and laughing.  Oliver decided he felt a bit sick too, and went to look for Percy.

Meanwhile, in the empty Gryffindor common room, the twins were discussing their latest escapade.

"I still can't believe she kissed you.  That's...eww," said George.

"It was quite good, actually," said Fred.  "Except for the whole 'she's Percy's girlfriend' thing.  And the fact that it's _Penelope."_

George shrugged.  "Maybe that's the way the potion works.  Cut them off from anyone they can be dreadfully boring around.  And face it, Percy and Penelope are more boring together than apart."

Fred nodded.  "You might have something there.  Besides, we don't know..."

"...How exactly the potion works?" finished George.  "Yeah, maybe we should have investigated that part.  We have the instructions for the cure, though."

"Yeah, in case things get hairy" said Fred quietly, and then he grinned.  It looked forced.  "Look at us!  We're being serious!  I know it'll work out great."

Percy sighed and sank down next to the toilet seat to watch the remains of his dinner get flushed away.  He was feeling less sick now, at least physically, but the same couldn't be said for his brain.

He glared at the roll of toilet paper.  It was sitting there, smugly taunting him, he decided.  Then he decided he should definitely get some sleep.

"Percy?  You in here?"

"Oliver?" he croaked.  "Yeah, I'm here."

Oliver's feet came to a stop outside his stall door.  "You okay, man?"

"Yes," Percy lied.

"Open the door, please," said Oliver, and Percy did.

"You look awful," Oliver noted, and helped Percy up, steadying him when he got dizzy.

"I feel awful," Percy said.  

Oliver nodded.  "There must be a connection."

"Most likely.  Don't you have Quidditch practice?"

"Nope, it's in the morning, early on," Oliver said.  "House Cup and all, you know."

"Ah, yes," said Percy.  He had forgotten. 

Oliver suddenly brightened.  "Hey, Perce, want to try out my new broomstick?  It might clear your head.  I've never seen you fly, are you any good?"

Percy blinked.  "What?"

"I asked if you -"

"No," Percy interrupted.  "Did you just...ask me if I wanted to ride your broomstick?"

Oliver stared at him, comprehension dawning.  Percy ducked quickly as Oliver took a swing at him, laughing.

"Perce!  You pervert!  That joke's so bad, it's not funny!" he chuckled.  Percy grinned at him and winked.

"Sure, Oliver, I'll ride your broomstick.  I'm sure it's a lovely one.  Do you polish it often?"

"Shut up," Oliver said, blushing. He smiled at Percy, but something was nagging at the corner of his mind.  First Percy skips all his classes, then makes bad jokes and agrees to go flying?  This was...new.

Oliver took Percy out on the Quidditch pitch.  He ducked into the broom shed to get his broom.

"Whoa!" he shouted.  "Perce, look at this!"

Percy peered into the dark shed, and immediately saw what Oliver was talking about.  "…A Muggle motorcycle?"

"Isn't it wild?"  Oliver was practically hopping up and down in excitement.  He crouched down to inspect it more closely.  "Maybe the twins stashed it here?"

"Probably," Percy muttered.

Oliver looked up at him and saw his pained expression.  "Oh… damn, sorry Percy.  Didn't mean to bring them up."

"It's okay."

"Well… no, it isn't."  Oliver got up and joined Percy by the doorway.  "Listen… I'm sorry I dragged you out here, with what just happened.  I think you need to go talk to Penny, find out what it was about."

"I don't want to know," Percy whispered.

"You _have to know, Percy.  Talk to her and the twins.  The sooner the better.  I'll walk you back inside."_

"No!" Percy yelled.  "No, I'm not going to talk to them!  Not now, not in the future!  I'm done with them, all of them!"

"Percy –"

"I said _no."  Percy turned and stalked out of the shed._

"Percy, _wait!"  Oliver dashed after him and grabbed him by the shoulders.  "Percy, I'm sorry.  Whatever'll help you right now, I mean, I can, or I'll help you out, I'll go away… I don't know.  Just tell me what I can do.  I want to help you."_

Percy stared at the ground.  "Still up for… flying a bit?" he said.

"Of course.  Any day."

Percy met his eyes and leaned in closer to him.  "I didn't mean that kind of flying," he murmured. 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

to be continued...

soo… what exactly is percy suggesting?  o.O  i'm sure some of you have "ideas"… though keep in mind, i can be quite evil sometimes.   mah ha haaa.

if you have any suspicions or conspiracy theories, or if you just want to give me much needed encouragement or criticism, click "review."  then type things.  then hit "send review."  good girl.  or boy.

thanks to alliecallienip (whee! i'm so glad you like it.  i hope this chapter was okay.), bluemeanies (i suspect you're trying to suggest something…can't imagine what… ;D), and kimagure (really cool author reviewing my fics, _favorably_ at that  = insanely giddy and happy me.  would i be overreacting too much if i said i loved you?  :D).

i've already started the next chapter, but homework is hanging over my head ominously… hopefully i can update soon.  (and is it just me, or are the author's notes longer than the actual chapter?  oops.)  till next time… 

- tpd


	4. I Want the One I Can't Have

Author's Note:  I've finally given up and embraced the angst.  Enjoy.

*

Part 4: **I WANT THE ONE I CAN'T HAVE**

*

The black motorcycle swooped and zoomed through the evening sky.  

"Holy –" screamed Oliver.  Percy's arms tightened around his waist.

"Oliver.  Oliver, relax."  He tried to soothe the nervous Quidditch captain.

Oliver held on to the motorcycle handlebars for dear life, with a look of terror on his face.  "This is _not the kind of flying I'm used to.  It has an engine, for gods sake!  How'd you even know it would fly?"_

"Be quiet and enjoy the view, Ol.  We're over the lake now."

Oliver shut his eyes tightly.  "No.  I am not looking.  I am _really not.  This isn't like my broom!  I don't know how, or, y'know, how to __drive it in… in the freaking AIR!  Are you sure we should be doing this?"_

He sensed Percy's grin behind him.  "No, 'I am _really not,'" Percy teased._

"Well, I was just wondering, seeing as this is most definitely against the rules…"

Percy stiffened.  "Leave the rules to me, Oliver.  It's what I'm good at."

Oliver took deep breaths and tried to calm down, slowly looping the motorcycle around.  "Well, Perce, you're not exactly following the rules right now, are you?"

"No, I'm not," Percy replied calmly.  "But would you like to land now?"  

Oliver nodded, and Percy showed him how to better direct the motorcycle toward the Quidditch pitch.  They finally skidded to a halt, the engine still purring, until Oliver switched it off and collapsed on the ground.

"I never thought I'd actually be _glad to be on solid land again," laughed Oliver._

Percy climbed off the motorcycle and sat down beside his sprawled form.  "Sorry, Oliver.  I just thought it might be…fun."

Oliver sent him a dazzling smile.  "Are you kidding?  When can we do it again?"

Percy laughed and drug Oliver to his feet, then self consciously ran his hands through his hair, trying to flatten it. 

"Leave it," said Oliver, and tried to drag Percy's hands away from his head.  "It looked better that way!"

"All handsome and rugged, eh?" said Percy sarcastically.

"Yeah," Oliver blurted.  Percy raised an eyebrow, and Oliver had to snort at the idea of Percy ever being termed "rugged."  

"Well… okay.  More 'disheveled and unprofessional.'  Satisfied?" he smirked.  "And you never told me how you knew it flew."

Percy shrugged.  "My father confiscated one once and took it home to show us.  This one looked like a similar motorcycle, perhaps even the same one.  Besides, what else would it be doing with a lot of flying brooms?"

"That's bloody fantastic," Oliver grinned.  "I want to learn how to ride it..." he winced and looked at Percy.  "But you'll have to report it, of course, so…" He trailed off as Percy shook his head.  

"And give the twins even more ammunition against me.  No, I won't say a word.  Will you?"

"No," said Oliver.  "And I still think you should talk to them.  Them, at the least, even if you don't talk to Penny."

Percy gave a short, harsh laugh.  "I never thought I'd be glad to not share any classes with her."

"Oh… Perce, I'm sorry this happened…" Oliver hugged him awkwardly before abruptly drawing back and fiddling with the motorcycle.  "I'll get this put away, you get inside.  It's probably after curfew.  See you later."

Percy found himself faced with Oliver's back.  "Uh, okay.  Ol…Oliver, thanks," he stammered.  

Oliver's head bobbed once but he didn't turn around.  Percy waited a split second before dashing across the field and disappearing into the castle.  

As soon as Percy was out of sight, Oliver stopped fiddling and slumped against the motorcycle, shoulders shaking.  "Dammit.  Oh, dammit." 

Fred and George were still in the common room when Percy came through the portrait hole.  They looked up quickly, and shrank back at the sight of their brother.  

"Shouldn't you two be in bed by now?" inquired Percy mildly.

"Um, well," said George.

"We were waiting up for you," Fred said.

"What are you doing back so late?" asked George.

"None of your business," said Percy.  "Let's get this over with: Fred, what was that today?"

"With Penelope?"

"Yes, _with Penelope.  What was it?"_

"It seemed to be a kiss," George interjected.  "A particularly hot, steamy one."

"Do you take _anything seriously?!" Percy exploded.  "__Either of you?  I loved her more than __life, and I don't know __what the hell happened.  Apparently she just __decided to snog my younger brother in front of the whole __school!" he paused, heart pounding.  "I loved her, and I don't know what happened.  I __loved her."_

The twins gaped at him.  "Perce…we-" one of them began.

"Don't talk to me," he said, and took the stairs two at a time up to his dormitory.  Once the door was shut behind him, he burst into tears.

The twins were left facing a tired, red-eyed Oliver Wood, standing in front of the portrait hole.  They guessed he had entered sometime during Percy's tirade.

"Go to bed," Oliver said.  "You have to be rested for practice in the morning."

They got up and left silently, casting glances at him over their shoulder.  Oliver practically collapsed onto the couch, taking a ragged breath.  

He stayed in the common room all night, staring into the fire.

*

to be continued.

_oh__ these little earthquakes.  doesn't take much to rip us into pieces._

(aka: blame this entire chapter on tori amos.  and listen to the song "little earthquakes.")

i seem to mainly just write on sundays… we might be looking at weekly updates here.  we'll see.  think my parts should be longer?  i get them at about three pages and they just wind themselves into 'to be continued' without any input from me.

thanks for reviewing yet again, kimagure darling.  and are you kidding?  your reviews make more sense than any i've written, combined.  i hope you liked part 4.  :)

'til next…week? week after next?...

- tpd


	5. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

*

Part 5: **I STARTED SOMETHING I COULDN'T FINISH**

*

Percy showed up for his classes the next day, but he was more pale and subdued than usual.  When he was called on, he would turn pale and quickly blurt an answer.  All of them were wrong.

As lunch was being served, Percy took a seat away from most of the other students.  Some looked at him curiously, some with concern, but most ignored him.  Percy was just beginning to swirl his potatoes around the plate when he felt a hand on his shoulder.  He jumped.

"Percy… can I talk to you?" asked Penelope.

He hesitated, and then nodded.

-

At the same table, the other Weasleys watched the two with curiosity.  

"I hope they make up," said Ginny.

"I hope they break up," said Ron.

"Me too," said Fred.  "What the hell does she see in him?  He's not cute, he's not funny, he's not even on the Quidditch team…"  Fred received strange looks from the others, but he didn't notice.  He was too busy glaring at the oblivious Percy.  

-

"What do you mean?" Percy asked her.

Penelope glanced away.  "I mean… I don't know why it happened.  Fred started talking to me, and he was being so nice, and he poured my drink for me… I don't know what came over me."  She finally met his eyes.  "It's new."

Percy nodded slowly.  "I hate to say this, but I… I think I understand.  He made you feel different."

She smiled.  "Yes.  I mean, I really like you, Percy.  I still do.  And Fred hasn't talked to me since, so it was probably a really bad idea.  But then all my friends were shocked, and it made me feel…different.  Yes."

Percy played with his fork.  "I wish you hadn't done it, though."

 "I'm sorry, Percy.  Are… are you okay?" Penelope said, looking concerned.  

He sighed and rubbed his temples.  "No.  I… I will be.  What now, then?"

She grimaced.  "I don't know."

"You're going to go talk to Fred, I guess," Percy muttered.

Penelope sighed.  "I don't know that either.  I don't know what he thinks of me, really.  I was a right bitch to him and George a day or two ago."

Percy shrugged and stared at the table.

"And… We have to break up, I suppose," said Penelope.  "It's the proper thing to do after something like this."

"Yes, it is," said Percy bitterly.  "We must always do the proper thing."

 "Maybe not always, Perce.  But this is the least we can do for now."

He chuckled suddenly.  "Penny… you know, this is the most… _open you've ever been with me?"_

Penny sighed.  "I know.  But everything feels different now."  She paused to look at him, her mouth crinkling in the corners.  "Perce… this is more open than I've ever seen you, too.  Maybe if before…"  She broke off and hugged him.

Percy buried his face in her hair and tried to keep from crying.  "I-I loved you.  That's what I shouted at the twins last night."

Penny drew back and smiled at him gently.  "You used past tense," she whispered.

-

"What the hell is wrong with you?" said George in a low tone.  "You heard Percy last night.  We mucked things up royally, and who knows what's gotten into Oliver."

Fred growled and stabbed at his meat. "It's just… I don't know.  I don't think he would ever have occurred to him how much he liked her if it hadn't'of been for our potion."

"So?"

"_So, anyone deserves better than our emotionally __dead brother.  He's a right arse."_

George stared at him.  "Oh my god… you're falling for her."

Fred blushed and changed the subject.  "What do you mean?  What's wrong with Oliver?"

"Well, you know he heard Percy yelling at us last night," George said, making a mental note to pursue the matter more later on.  "And today he's been like a zombie.  Surely you noticed in Quidditch practice?"

Fred shrugged, trying to recall what had happened.  Something with bludgers.  Oh… no, that hadn't been good.  He winced.

"Exactly," said George.  "So what's that about?  He and Percy haven't really been friends, so why would he get so upset?"

Fred grinned.  "Sounds like we have more work to do."

"No," said George. 

"What?  Why not?" he said.

"I'm not going to go barging in and muck up more stuff.  It's bad enough we hurt Percy, but at least _Percy's our __brother."_

Fred rolled his eyes.  "You've got it backwards.  You don't have to be nice to siblings all the time, but it's different with friends and people you know."

George sighed and rested his head on the table next to his plate.  "But we hurt him.  Don't you feel at least a little guilty?"

"No," Fred said, fidgeting.  "He… Percy had it coming.  Anyway, I can't believe you won't help me do… something _fun to Oliver."_

His twin raised his head and smiled slightly.  "I don't want anything to do with potions for a while… I never said I wouldn't help you tail him."

The dishes disappeared with a pop.

-

Oliver stood in the doorway to the broomshed.  Though it was pitch black inside, he could see the glint of the motorcycle, reflecting back the stars.

Cautiously, he entered.  He reached out to touch the motorcycle, as if to assure himself it was still there, when a voice made him jump.

"Thought you'd be here," said Percy.

Oliver swore.  "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"But it's so fun to see you yelp," Percy said mischievously.  "Go on, do it again!"

"What's _wrong with you?" Oliver said, and immediately regretted it.  Percy looked confused, and he went on.  "I mean, before yesterday, we'd hardly speak unless we were helping each other with assignments.  Now… now you're different."_

Percy stiffened.  "What makes you think _I'm the one that's different?" he snarled._

"Why the hell are you getting so defensive?" said Oliver.

"Why the hell are you being such a bastard?" 

"I'm the bastard?  What about your endless obsessing over '_perfection'?" _

"Oh?  What about your bludger issues?  I heard all about the fiasco this morning, oh yes, very peculiar, especially since I got the impression from Angelina that you _liked balls," said Percy in a low hiss._

Oliver was shocked into silence.  He then stammered "What?  She said…?"

Percy winced.  "Ol, I'm sorry…" 

"You… you complete… Go to hell.  Just go to HELL!" Oliver screamed, and stormed past him almost violently as he left the shed.  Percy followed him.

"Oliver, I didn't mean there's something wrong with it!  Oliver, please…"

"No!  I'm sick of this shit.  And yes, there's something wrong with it!  With me!" Oliver yelled.  "It's… it's…" he trailed off and glared down at the grass.  "I should have just hit you for even suggesting something like that."

"You didn't," Percy noted.  

"I didn't.  God… who else has she told?"

"I… I overheard her telling Chang, from Ravenclaw.  I don't know who else."

Oliver buried his face in his hands.  "Shit.  Oh, shit."

Percy laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.  "Well, look at it this way, at least Fred and George don't know."

"Ha," said Oliver.  "Yeah, then all of Hogwarts would hear about it.  I'm sorry…"

"For what?"

"Y'know… aren't you afraid I'm going to jump you or something?  That maybe you'll somehow catch this from me?"

Percy tugged Oliver closer and hugged him.  "You idiot.  No, I'm not afraid of anything like that."

Oliver shook himself out of Percy's embrace.  "You… you should be," Oliver whispered.  He squeezed his eyes shut. "I've… I've _liked you for several months now."  His heart felt like it was being twisted into a pretzel.  This was it._

"I just said I'm not afraid of that, didn't I?"  Percy smiled.  "Let's go to bed.  We can talk about this more tomorrow, okay?"

Oliver shrugged, confused by Percy's reaction.  His heart was beating too fast, but he followed Percy inside.

As soon as they were out of sight, Fred and George emerged from their hiding place.

. . . . . . . . . .

to be continued.

_i__ started something/forced you to a zone/and you were clearly/never meant to go_

_hair__ brushed and parted/typical me, typical me, typical me_

_i__ started something/and now i'm not too sure._

- "i started something i couldn't finish," the smiths.

thanks to…

kimagure: *running tackle hugs*  …i'm glad you're still liking it.  :D

bwaybaby79: i know, aren't i so delightfully devious? ;)   or… maybe i'm just a bit annoying… whichever. 

- tpd


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